Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
International: Northern Ireland Full
David signed a four year contract for Leeds United on 29th October, 2004, the purchase from Preston North End having been agreed between the clubs only the day before. The fee was undisclosed having been the result of at least four separate bids Leeds as Blackwell showed all the tenacity to get his man that he had showed when pursuing Sean Gregan earlier in the season.
David has been given the number 9 shirt made famous at Leeds by Mick Jones and Joe Jordan and if he's half as good he'll still be a major asset.
David began his career as a trainee Manchester United. Previously this might been seen as an obstacle to gaining the acceptance from the fiercely partizan Leeds faithful. However, it is David's good fortune that another Reds cast-off, Danny Pugh who joined directly from Man United in the summer of 2004 is currently the outstanding player in the team and has become a firm favourite with the Elland Road crowd knocking in an impressive six goals from midfield by October. Anyway David Healy only made three appearances as a substitute for the Orcs so he is only slightly tarnished goods! He was brought to Preston by the now-Everton manger David Moyes for £1.5m in January 2001.
In a little over three seasons he has scored 44 goals in 120 starts for Preston and he is currently Northern Ireland's all-time leading goal-scorer with 15 goals from 39 caps. Not bad considering George Best played for Northern Ireland! In fact it was a recent spectacular strike for Northern Ireland that seemed to bring Healy to everyone's attention and it is amazing considering the protracted transfer deal that a Premiership club has not stepped in to hijack the deal.
Created: 29th October 2004
Updated: 9th September 2005 The first season with Leeds Utd showed a poor return as he was often played out of his favourite position and the club was in dire straits off the pitch. However, he started the 2005-06 season with a bang getting 2 goals in the first game against Millwall. However, rumours started that newly promoted West Ham were looking to make a bid to take him to the Premiership and he was dropped to the bench after a couple of matches. The rumours were strengthened after the Blackwell signed striker Richard Cresswell from Healy's old club Preston North End. He was in addition to close season signing, striker Robbie Blake from Birmingham. With 6 strikers on the books and Rob Hulse in excellent form it seemed David was on his way but the transfer deadline passed and it was Michael Ricketts who was shipped out (on loan to Cardiff).
Kevin Blackwell will have been pleased he didn't succumb to West Ham's temptations as Healy's value rocketed in early September 2005 following his much publicised "dream goal" that he scored, at Windsor Park, for Northern Ireland to beat Sven's England in a World Cup qualifier. The marvellous strike from the left-hand of the penalty area flew past former Leeds Old Boy, Paul "Mars Bar" Robinson (who got a good hand on it but still couldn't stop it) after another ex-Leeds Utd player Rio Ferdinand played Healy onside whilst in a dream-world all of his own.
